Nacho - Limeking - Taksing - Majha (18050)
India, Asia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2005

National site name: Nacho - Limeking - Taksing - Majha

Central coordinates: Latitude: 28.5833, Longitude: 93.5167

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 800 to 4500

Area of KBA (km²): 1001.84473

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Nacho-Limeking-Taksing-Majha is a large area in the north of Arunachal Pradesh in Upper Subansiri district, close to Indo-China (Tibet) border. The area is largely mountainous with a number of peaks rising over 4,000 m. The River Subansiri, which originates in Tibet flows through this IBA. Also the area is criss-crossed by number of streams and small rivers that drain into the Subansiri. Most of the forest is inaccessible and still untouched. Road network is limited and the remoteness of the site has left a large extent of habitat intact. Local inhabitants are largely of the Tagin tribe and human settlements are very minimal. In the lower reaches, below 1,500 m, elements of Tropical Wet Evergreen to Subtropical Broadleaf Forests are found. Himalayan Wet Temperate Forest, mixed with Bamboo and Cane, is found in the intermediate elevations from 1,500 to 3,000 m.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Eastern Himalayas Hotspot (2005). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat category follow the 2002 IUCN Red List.

Additional biodiversity: AVIFAUNA: Not much information is available on the bird life, except for the general report of Singh (1994) in which he has described birds during his various surveys of the state. However, site-wise detailed lists are not available. A significant discovery from this area is a new monal species of the genus Lophophorus. The males of the new monal appeared very similar to the male of Sclater’s Monal Lophophorus sclateri, except for the completely white tail in the former. This was reported by local hunters of the Sarli Circle in Lower Subasiri district who also go for hunting to the Taksing area (Kumar and Singh 1999). An interesting record of Honey guide Indicator xanthonotus, one of the two records of this species in the state is from here (R. Suresh Kumar pers. comm. 2003 ) Of the 21 species found in the Eastern Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (Stattersfield et al. 1998) 12 have been reported from this IBA. There are not many IBAs in this EBA where so many Restricted Range species are found. Four biomes are represented in this IBA: Biome-5 (Eurasian High Montane- Alpine and Tibetan); Biome-7 (Sino-Himalayan Temperate Forest); Biome-8 (Sino-Himalayan Subtropical Forest); and Biome-9 (Indo-Chinese Tropical Moist Forest). It is not possible to list all the species here. OTHER KEY FAUNA: Not much information is available on the fauna of this large area. However, Takin Budorcas taxicolor, Serow Nemorhaedus sumatraensis, Goral Nemorhaedus goral, Red Panda Ailurus fulgens, Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus and Assamese Macaque Macaca assamensis have been recorded (A. U. Choudhury pers. comm. 2003). The Bharal or Blue Sheep Pseudois nayaur was recently recorded from the Taksing area, the only other record of this species in the state, with the rest being from Tawang district in Western Arunachal Pradesh. (R. Suresh Kumar pers. comm. 2003).

Habitats

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	100

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Hunting; Felling of trees. The proposed Upper Subansiri Hydroelectric project will have some impact on these sites (A. U. Choudhury pers. comm. 2003). Hunting is a major threat to the wildlife in the area and species such as Musk Deer, Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus, Sclater’s Monal Lophophorus sclateri and Temminck’s Tragopan Tragopan temminckii are much sought after (R. Suresh Kumar pers. comm. 2003).

Additional information

References: Kumar, R. S. and Singh, P. (1999) Discovery of a new monal from Arunachal Pradesh. Oriental Bird Club Bull. 30: 35-38. Singh, P. (1994) Recent bird records from Arunachal Pradesh. Forktail 10: 65-104. Stattersfield, A. J., Crosby, M. J., Long, A. J. and Wege, D. C. (1998) Endemic Bird Areas of the World: Priorities for Biodiversity Conservation. BirdLife Conservation Series No. 7. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.